Union fears blacklisting

The UCATT construction workers’ union has called for a new employee screening scheme to be postponed over fears that it could be used to blacklist building workers.

The scheme has been announced by the National Federation of Builders (NFB) in association with outsourcing company Mitie to “provide employee screening, background checks and lone worker solutions to its members”. And it has been promoted to “ensure an employee and their history really is who and what they claim to be”.

The NFB is a member of the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC). The CIJC Working Rule Agreement, the largest agreement in the construction industry, has a clear anti-blacklisting rule which says: “The CIJC does not condone any form of blacklisting of any worker.”

UCATT has written to NFB chief executive Richard Beresford to ask for an urgent meeting regarding the scheme and requesting the scheme not be introduced in the meantime.

General secretary Steve Murphy said the scheme has the potential to lead to the blacklisting of construction workers. “The scheme should be postponed until workers are fully reassured that blacklisting will not and cannot occur,” he added.

UCATT has renewed its call for a full public inquiry into blacklisting after the government recently announced a public inquiry into prison telephone call hacking.

www.ucatt.org.uk/ucatt-fear-employee-screening-could-lead-blacklisting

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/builders-sign-up-to-mitie-screening-service